Frigates, destroyers and an aircraft carrier from four nations are currently underway in the Persian Gulf as part of the annual, multinational exercise Intrepid Sentinel 2019. The multilateral exercise is designed to increase capability and interoperability between the four nations. According to pho
Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll (F231) joined the US Navy’s Arleigh-Burke guided missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) for joint operations in the South China Sea between January 11 and 16. At sea, McCampbell and Argyll conducted communication drills, division tactics, and a personnel exch
US defense contractor Raytheon announced it has signed an agreement with Kentucky-based Phoenix Products, Inc. (PPI) for the production of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The two sides signed a contract under the US Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé program and will see PPI produce NSM transpor
The Spanish Navy’s Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate ESPS Méndez Núñez (F 104) arrived at Naval Station Norfolk on January 14 where it will become part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 and conduct joint training and exercises. Méndez Núñez, homeported in Ferrol, Spain, was commissioned in 2006. She join
Lockheed Martin announced it has received a $172 million contract from the US Navy and Air Force for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) production. The contract continues the production for the air-launched variant of LRASM, including a full production run of missiles and engineering support. This
Swedish defense contractor announced it has been contracted to deliver its TactiCall communication system for the three new Norwegian Coast Guard vessels. The company said it entered an agreement with Vard Group AS, the main contractor on the Norwegian Coast Guard project P6615, to take on the commu
China’s ministry of foreign affairs has voiced its opposition to foreign countries supporting the development of Taiwan’s indigenous submarine program. Speaking at a press conference on January 14, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China “firmly opposes arms sales to Taiwan by any coun
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Protector broke through nearly 300 miles of Antarctic ice to help scientists begin a five-year mission to understand how West Antarctica is contributing to global sea-level rise. Working together with British Antarctic Survey’s vessel RRS Ernest Shackleton, the Plymouth-ba
Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose arrived at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday, becoming the first Royal Navy ship to do so in 20 years. Welcoming the frigate to Auckland was the crew of Royal New Zealand Navy multi-purpose vessel HMNZS Canterbury who performed the traditional hak
The US Navy and Australian Air Force kicked off the annual anti-submarine warfare exercise Sea Dragon on January 14. The multilateral exercise is based out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, with this year’s event running until Jan. 25. Participating US units will include Patrol Squadron (VP) 47, VP-
US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) assumed the role of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) flagship in a change of command ceremony in Denmark on January 14. US Navy Rear Adm. Edward Cashman assumed command of SNMG1 from Royal Danish Navy Commodore Anders F
The French Navy officially received its first Rafale M fighter jet upgraded to the F3-R standard in a ceremony at the Landivisiau Naval Air Base. The first flight of F3-R from Landivisiau took place on December 17, the defense ministry said. The aircraft was delivered after the upgrade was approved
The Romanian defense ministry on January 11 announced it is suspending the tender for the procurement of four new multi-role corvettes and upgrades of two frigates currently in service with the Romanian Navy. As explained by the ministry, the procedure was put on hold until irregularities discovered
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat seized over 3.1 tons of hashish in the Arabian Sea during an operation that took place on January 8 and 9. The seized drugs are worth an estimated $155 million and are the first narcotics seized by a Combined Maritime Forces member in 2019. The fishing ves
